Alcohol, also called ethyl alcohol, is a colorless, clear, volatile, flammable liquid, miscible with water, with an odor similar to ether and a pungent and burning. It is used primarily as a solvent in the extraction of specific substances: in beverages, medicines, organic synthesis, lotions, tonics, colognes, rubbing compounds, as antifreeze for automobile radiators, and as rocket fuel, all of this according to Dictionary.com. Alcohol is a drug, just like marijuana or cocaine, and should be treated as such. The legal drinking age should not be lowered because it is medically irresponsible, the current legal drinking age reduces alcohol consumption and the legal drinking age should not be lowered to reflect European limits of drinking age because the rate of alcohol consumption among U.S. adolescents is lower than in most European countries. Lowering the drinking age would be medically irresponsible for numerous reasons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that alcohol interferes with the brain's mood, behavior, cognitive functions and motor skills. Excessive drinking damages the heart and liver, and drinking in general causes the pancreas to release toxic substances which are obviously unhealthy. Drinking also increases the risk of multiple cancers and weakens the immune system (2). Studies have shown that moderate drinking can help heart health, but the negatives far outweigh the positives. In light of these potential health dilemmas and other avenues for maintaining a healthy heart, this is not sufficient justification for making alcohol more accessible to teens. Alcohol is a depressant, a substance that slows the transmission of nerve impulses, and the brain is incredibly sensitive. to this effect. Alcohol slows the reaction time to stimuli... middle of paper... from fifty-six percent in 1982 to twenty-three percent in 2005. The average age of first drink for Americans before drinking is twenty-one and fourteen. By high school, more than thirty percent of teens binge drink at least once a month. Not only does it increase the risk of violence, injury, and other health risks, but drinking alcohol at such a young age can also interfere with brain development and lead to permanent cognitive and memory damage in adolescents (Zeigler 3). alcohol versus tobacco or other illicit drugs. Teens may not drink as much as adults, but when they do drink, they drink more than adults. Binge drinking is certainly one of the biggest problems when it comes to alcohol consumption by minors. One of the scariest facts is the blind trust parents have in their children to make the right decision when it comes to alcohol.